[strath76]

I have spent the last week in one of the affected areas and I must say it is very confronting. One of the towns that I am working near I would estimate has lost about 80% of the houses there. Even sadder in this is that many of them had the residents sheltering in them at the time.

As for the flora of the area it is now unrecognisable from its previous state. In the majority of the area there is now no undergrowth and all that remains at the moment is the charred trunks of Eucalypts standing like tomb stones over the scorched ground.

There are a few isolated pockets of vegetation that has remained apparently unaffected but this is few and far between. Where this does occur it is in gullies along water courses and so bodes well for CP species.

Many tuberous Drosera should have survived as they are currently dormant but even some of these would have been lost due to the heat in the ground. In many places that I stepped the ground would give way to reveal smouldering roots. It should be noted that this was about a week after the fire front passed. In many places the stumps of trees remain smouldering as if acting like chimneys for the burning roots. The ash is also very thick in places with my foot sinking to mid shin in many locations.

I have posted a link that has a few pictures showing the vegetation pre fires and a few photo's that show how it looks now.

http://www.parkstay.vic.gov.au/accom...national-park/